Falling in Love with a Bug Prince
by RulerOfTwili
Summary: This is a story about someone falling in love with Strich, the bug prince. It is a self-insert so you can imagine yourself or some other character in the place of the main character.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The sun was slowly creeping up on Skyloft to meet the dawn of a new day once more. A gentle stream of sunlight slowly trickled in through my window, alighting itself on my face. The warm, gentle caress of the still weak sunshine prodded me awake. The fresh air coming from my window flooded my lungs, and whispered promises to my heart about the hopes of a new day.

Slowly I rolled onto my back and stretched my limbs before letting out a hearty yawn. Flinging back the covers on my bed, I swung my legs out and let my feet graze the cool, stone floor. After letting out a sigh of contentment, I got up and made my bed. Once finished, I removed my daily attire from my dresser and draped my clothing over my arm. I exited my room and turned left towards the next door.

Upon reaching the door, I knocked three times, already knowing full well that nobody was up to use the bathing room yet, as it was still very early in the day. I opened the door and walked in, promptly shutting and locking door tightly behind. No one had ever woken up and tried to use the bathing room while I was still in here, but it was better safe than sorry. It would be just my luck that one day I decide to leave the door unlocked and someone walks in here while I'm bathing.

_ What if someone saw me naked? What if Strich-_

I blushed profusely at the thought and vigorously shook my head to rid myself of the mental image. It wouldn't be good to have such thoughts at the moment... Those kind of thoughts were best saved for night, and even then I always felt a little guilty having them anyways.

Still red in the face, I commenced my usual bathing routine. I stripped away my pajamas, slowly stepped into the bath, relaxed for a minute, and then washed away all the dirt and grime. Once I felt thoroughly cleaned, I got out and dried myself. I combed through my hair and reached out for my attire. One by one, I pulled on my under garments, my under shirt, my lightly tanned pants, the usual chain mail and my dark purple tunic. The rest of my outfit was waiting for me in my room still, so I hung up the wet towel and picked up my pajamas.

Once back in my own room, I tossed aside my pajamas to deal with later. I slipped into my socks and boots, buckled on my belt and pouches, pulled on my leather gauntlets and topped it all off with my round hat that matched my tunic.

_ There,_ I thought to myself, _all done!_

I exited my room once more and headed downstairs, stomach already rumbling at the mere thought of breakfast. As soon as I reached the academy's kitchen, I sat down and immediately piled food onto my plate.

As always, I was the only one at the table. I was always the first student to wake up. I didn't mind, though, I liked not having to watch others shovel food down their throats like a pack of ravenous wolves. It was only ever Groose, Cawlin and occasionally Link who actually did that, though, and I haven't even seen much of any of them.

Link is rarely here, but he pops in every now and then. Sometimes he'll just go to the bazaar for a few minutes and then takes off again. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Groose around for awhile either. He had kept to himself in his room for awhile, moping about Zelda missing (such a tragedy that she hasn't come back yet), but now I haven't even seen him at all lately. And now Cawlin is doing pretty much the same thing, he never leaves Groose's room unless he has to and he always looks so upset when I do see him (I think he confessed to Karane, but she rejected him and went out with Pipit instead, poor fellow).

I attempted to take another bite of food, only to discover that my plate was empty. Time sure does fly when you are absorbed in your own thoughts. I got up and washed my dishes in the basin over by the oven.

After cleaning up, I proceeded towards the front door. There were no classes today (there were actually less classes going on then usual since Zelda hadn't been found yet) so I planned on enjoying the outdoors today. I had just grasped the door knob and was about to leave when I heard someone call out to me, making my heart flutter...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Hey there, you're up early again."

I turned my head to see who was calling out to me, though I already knew who it was. I released my grip on the door knob in order to turn and face my old friend, Strich.

"Good morning, Strich!" I said, offering him a smile. I could already feel the butterflies in my stomach start to build up. Oh, how I wish he could take these butterflies for me! I wonder if he could get rid of them if he k-

"Good morning to you too!" he said with a returning smile. "So, what are plans for today?"

_Oh Goddesses, you have the most charming smile, Strich! It's so distracting!_

"Well, since there aren't any classes today and since it's so nice outside today, I was just going to go out and enjoy the day doing whatever I please! I was thinking it would be nice to fly around for awhile and explore any areas I haven't seen yet."

Strich's face lit up after I mentioned going exploring. "Is that so? Because I just so happen to know of a place that you haven't seen yet that's perfect for exploring! I'm sure you'll love the place as much as I do!"

"Really?" The thought of exploring new territory always thrilled me. "Where is it?"

"I could tell you, but I'd rather show you myself. I still need to eat breakfast, so how about you run ahead? You can wait for me at the plaza, I'll catch up to you once I'm done."

"Great! Sounds like a plan!"

I waved at him as I left the academy, giddy with excitement at the prospect of today's adventure. I walked down towards the plaza, taking my time. Strich isn't much of a fast eater, so there's no need to rush. With every step forward I took, however, the butterflies soon returned, no longer overpowered by my excitement.

I found myself imagining his sweet smile, over and over again, and the soft sound of him calling my calling my name... I can't help but wonder what it would be like to hug him or even-

_Oh dear Hylia, I've been bitten by the love bug..._

I've been having these feelings for months now, and I can't deny it any longer. I've fallen for my best friend... What caused this? What changed? We've been friends ever since we were children, and we'd always hang out whenever Strich wasn't hanging out with Groose. I've always loved Strich as a friend, but now... Now I'm _in_ love with him. Why did this happen a few months ago instead of a few years ago or never?

I sighed and sat down on a bench in the plaza. I guess that's not the most important thing to be asking myself right now. I rested my head in my heads and thought:

_How long can I go on pretending like nothing's different? How am I supposed to behave as a normal friend when I'm attracted to Strich? Should I- should I confess to him?_

The thought made my stomach feel like it was twisted into a knot. How could I ever hope to confess to him? Even in my fantasy I become shy and awkward, so if I was really going to tell him, I'd most likely be even more shy and awkward than I could possibly imagine! But I really don't think I can continue like this...

My thought process was interrupted by the sound of fast approaching footsteps. I turned my head in time to see Strich jogging over to me. When he reached the bench, he had to stop for a minute to catch his breath. I couldn't help but notice how red his cheeks were from his little jog, and how much he was panting. It wasn't really cute or charming, but it was _something_, I just couldn't find the right word for it. One thing was for sure, though I couldn't explain why, and that was how I enjoyed seeing him like this.

"Wheew, sorry for taking so long," he said.

"Oh, no, not at all! In fact, it seemed like that took less time than usual," I responded.

"Well, I was trying to hurry. I'm just really excited to show you this place!"

"It must be a really cool place if you're that excited about it. Would you like to go now or wait another minute to catch your breath some more?"

"I'm fine, now," he said with a smile. "We should leave now so we don't waste anymore daylight! Come on, I'll race you to the jumping off point!" Strich sprinted off towards the dock, calling out, "Last one on their Loftwing is a rotten egg!"

I laughed and jumped up after him. "No fair! You got a heads start and you're ridiculously tall! How am I supposed to beat you?"

And he yelled back, "You're not!" before disappearing over the edge of the plaza. I followed soon afterwords, the sound of rushing wind filling my ears as I jumped from the dock with a grin on my face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

For a moment I felt as if I were suspended in midair, lost in my senses as they were overloaded with the rushing air and feeling of freedom. I reached out mentally to my Loftwing and whistled for her to catch me. Not even ten seconds later she swooped down below me and I landed safely and softly on her back. Up here in the sky, I felt so elated and free, like I could conquer any obstacle in front of me!

I grabbed onto the reigns and swiftly flew after Strich and his Loftwing. I circled around him and wondered where it was that we were going. We had passed underneath Skyloft and were headed straight towards Thunderhead.

_I guess the storms in Thunderhead calmed down finally._

Strich and I burst through the entrance of the cloud dome. The weather in this area certainly had calmed down, and I could see a lot of the floating islands. I continued to follow Strich, and after only a few more minutes, we landed on a round, stone landing area that was connected to a much larger piece of land.

I slid gracefully off my Loftwing and patted her beak. I let her know that it would be awhile before I left this place, so she could fly off to wherever she wanted. She seemed reluctant to go, however, and was more interested in staying with Strich's Loftwing. The two of them were as close as Strich and I, although lately it seemed like they were getting... closer...

With one last pat of my precious flying friend's beak, I turned towards Strich. "So, what do you call this place? And what exactly makes it so special?"

"It's only the most incredible place in the entire sky." Strich rolled his eyes and smiled sweetly at me. He lifted his arms up, gesturing towards the island. "I call this place: Bug Rock!"

I smiled to myself. _Bug Rock, huh? That's... creative. _I coughed in order to disguise a chuckle that made it's way from my throat. _I would have named it Insect Haven, instead. Ah well, that doesn't really matter._

"Okay, so it's definitely a place where lots of bugs roam," I said. "But your eyes are sparkling with such fervor. Is there a new species of insect here or something?"

"Unfortunately, no." He looked a little sad at the thought, but it only lasted a second before his face lit up again. "There is, however, EVERY species of insect discovered so far living on this island!"

He was so incredibly enthusiastic right now, and his smile was as bright as the sun. I can't remember the last time I saw him so happy. This thought brought a smile to my own lips and warmed my heart generously. I always loved being able to see him so full of joy like this.

"Come on, I'll show you around the place!" He was so excited he couldn't even wait a second for me to react, because the next thing I knew, Strich was holding my hand and pulling me forward.

_Oh goddesses, is he really holding my hand?_

His hand was gentle to the touch and cool. My heart nearly skipped a beat in my chest. It had been ages since we last held hands, and that had been before I even started developing these strong feelings for him.

The next few minutes passed in daze, as I was feeling light headed and my heart started beating like a drum. He was showing me every nook and cranny of the place and pointing out each and every single bug to me. But I couldn't stop looking at _him._ Several times I wondered if he could feel or hear how fast my heart was beating, for him. But I don't think he noticed. He even seemed too enthralled in everything that he was showing me to notice how red my face had gotten.

I was short on breath and beginning to wonder how much longer I could continue on without passing out when finally he stopped while we were at the topmost region of the island.

"And that, milady, is Bug Rock!" he exclaimed.

It brought me a little out of my stupor until I realized he was still holding my hand.

_Oh my goddesses, why hasn't he let go? Why is he still holding my hand?_

"So, what do you think of it?" he asked me.

"Wha-? Oh! Well, it's so much to take in all at once..."

"That's how I felt first found the place, too. I just absolutely love it here, though!"

I tried to take a deep breath and hide the fact that I was blushing so hard. My face pulsed rapidly as the blood ran through my temples. "You know, I think it would be best if I just walked around and explored it on my own for a bit. I think then I might be able to take it all in properly and not be so overwhelmed."

"That's probably a good idea," he said as he casually let go of my hand. He smiled at me and acted as if it hadn't even happened. "I'm going to go work on a few building projects I started on my previous visits here." And with that, he waved at me and walked towards the slope leading up here.

_Finally, some alone time to gather all my emotions back into a manageable form..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I looked around once more at where I was situated. I was standing at the very top of Bug Rock, it seemed, and from where I was standing I could see a big hole in the middle of the area. I walked over to see what was there, and noticed that looked like a tower of a castle, almost. The hole lead down to a small grassy area that had a few more bugs crawling around in it. I jumped down to inspect the even smaller hole within the grassy area. Down below the second hole, I could see a little rise in the floor, poking out of some shallow water.

I jumped down yet again and landed in the center of the enclosed area. There were only a few light sources coming in but they lit the place up nicely. I could see little openings around the circular room that had some pots in it. There were also some Starry Fireflies drifting lazily above the water.

I stood there for a moment, just watching the fireflies float around, there little glowing lights mesmerizing me. Eventually, I could feel my heartbeat finally slowing down... The blush that had taken over my face was fading away as well as I kept my focus on the fireflies...

I finally decided to keep on exploring, now that my emotions were stable. I walked over through the water to some steps that led out to some more grassy area. I turned to the left, as it was the only I could go. I walked along, with a high fence to my right and a rock wall to my left.

_ It really is quite nice here, _I thought to myself.

I walked along, staring at the sky and bugs that flew through air, when all of a sudden I slipped and slid down a short slope I failed to notice. I tumbled down, eyes squeezed shut from the sudden fall, until I landed on top of something and heard groan.

"Ow ow ow ow ow," I muttered, propping myself up with one hand and rubbing my head with the other. I heard another groan and looked down.

_ Wha... OH GODDESSES, I LANDED ON STRICH!_

Strich was laying on his back, propped up on one shoulder and also rubbing his head. His cheeks were flushed red from the work he was doing, and I could see a smudge of dirt on his cheek. In a bit of daze still, I reached out and wiped away the dirt before I realized what I was doing. It took Strich by surprise and for a moment he just stared at me.

_ OH MY-!_

I suddenly snapped back to my senses and practically hopped off of Strich.

"I'm so sorry, Strich! Uh, here, let me help you up!" I offered him my hand, and as soon as he took it I felt like a little spark ran through my heart. I helped him get to his feet and awkwardly mumbled my apologies again.

"No, no, it's fine, it's fine," he said. He dusted himself off and smiled at me. "Really, it's okay."

"Oh..." I mumbled. "Okay then..." I blushed and looked away, awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck. "You aren't hurt, are you?" I asked.

"No, I feel fine, really. Are you alright?" he asked with concern.

"Wha... Oh! Yes, I'm fine. I-" I stopped in mid-sentence.

Strich was reaching out his hand towards me, and I stood there, frozen. He gently touched my cheek, then rubbed away at something on my cheek before pulling his hand away.

"You had a bit of dirt on your cheek, too" he said with a little chuckle.

"Oh... right..." I said a little breathlessly. I could feel the blush on my face intensifying once more.

_ I'm not so sure I can last being alone with Strich on this little island... What if I do something without thinking again? What if I kissed him? Or did anything that could ruin our friendship...? I don't want to lose that..._

I sighed and stared at the sky.

Strich looked at me with a confused expression. "Is something wrong? You know you can always talk to me if something is bothering you."

_ Oh!_

"Oh, no no, everything is fine!" I blurted out. "Really, it is!" I added when he gave me a questioning look. "Uh, anyways, would you like some help setting up the rest of the fencing and whatnot?"

Strich gave me a small smile. "Some help would be nice, but are you sure you don't want to explore some more? Or have you already seen everything there is to see?"

"There will be plenty of other opportunities to explore the rest of the island. I feel like helping you out right now, instead," I said.

"Well, if you say so. Can you hand me that board over there, then?" he asked.

And so, the rest of the day proceeded as such. I helped Strich out as much as I could to set up the rest of the fencing so that running around wouldn't be so dangerous. Thankfully, there were no more awkward moments between the two of us, and the rest of the day passed pretty quickly. Pretty soon, the sun began to set, and the clouds were infused with orange and pink.

At last, we finished putting up the fences, finally finishing the whole project.

"I guess we better start heading back now," I said, staring up at the sky.

"Yeah..."

We made our way back to where the dock was, and stood at it's edge. For a moment we just stood there, not speaking a word and simply watching the play of colors against the clouds. It was a magical moment, shared between two souls, and without either of us needing to say a word, we both jumped off the dock. We called out to our birds, who immediately caught us. Silently, we flew through the open air, enjoying the moment as we returned to Skyloft.

Once we were back at the academy, we had to go freshen up a bit before going to dinner. Strich and I chatted with the other students a little during supper, but didn't really talk much since we were so tired. Once we were finished, we cleaned our plates and left the dining room. We said goodnight to each other and finally parted ways.

I walked slowly up the steps and to my room, reliving some of the days events. I still felt embarrassed from some of those events... So many things happened, things that make me wonder...

I finally entered my room and quickly changed into my sleep wear. I was too tired to stay up any longer, so plopped down on my bed and got comfortable under the covers. My eyelids grew heavy and I could feel sleep taking a hold of me very quickly... As I slipped into a deep and restful sleep, the last thing I thought of was the way Strich's hand felt against my own and how he had wiped away the dirt on my cheek...


End file.
